US 11,955,777 B2
Optical combiner and laser apparatus
Tomoyuki Fujita, Sakura (JP); Ryokichi Matsumoto, Sakura (JP); Yutaka Yamaguchi, Sakura (JP); Takuya Kobayashi, Sakura (JP); and Kiwamu Suzuki, Sakura (JP)
Assigned to Fujikura Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/631,750
Filed by FUJIKURA LTD., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 24, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/035961
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 31, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/065657, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-178523 (JP), filed on Sep. 30, 2019; and application No. 2019-178605 (JP), filed on Sep. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0276433 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H01S 5/40 (2006.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B23K 26/064 (2014.01); G02B 6/036 (2006.01); G02B 6/04 (2006.01); G02B 6/42 (2006.01)
CPC H01S 5/4012 (2013.01) [B23K 26/0604 (2013.01); B23K 26/064 (2015.10); G02B 6/036 (2013.01); G02B 6/03644 (2013.01); G02B 6/04 (2013.01); G02B 6/4202 (2013.01); G02B 6/4296 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical combiner comprising:
a plurality of first input optical fibers that each include a core;
a bridge fiber that includes:
a bridge input surface including a single core, the single core being optically connected to all of the cores of the plurality of first input optical fibers;
a diameter reduction portion having a diameter that decreases away from the bridge input surface along an optical axis of the optical combiner; and
a bridge output surface located opposite to the bridge input surface along the optical axis;
an intermediate optical fiber that includes a core connected to the bridge output surface of the bridge fiber;
a second input optical fiber that includes a core; and
an output optical fiber that includes:
a first optical waveguide connected to the core of the intermediate optical fiber; and
a second optical waveguide connected to the core of the second input optical fiber.